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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25013461">The Other Woman</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Honorificabilitudinitatibus/pseuds/Honorificabilitudinitatibus'>Honorificabilitudinitatibus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Past Worth Having [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexuality, Class Differences, Developing Relationship, Doran Martell is a great listener, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Healthy Communication, Healthy Relationships, I spend a LOT of time dunking on Rhaegar in this fic, Lyanna is Not a Stark, Oberyn and Lya are Bros, POV Elia Martell, Protective Oberyn Martell, Rhae has so many questions, Rhaegar Targaryen Being an Asshole, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Unplanned Pregnancy, be prepared, mentions of adultery, the ending definitely qualifies at least</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:00:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25013461</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Honorificabilitudinitatibus/pseuds/Honorificabilitudinitatibus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lyanna Snow unknowingly becomes *the* other woman in Elia Martell's marriage, and when she contacts Elia after her very public divorce with Rhaegar, Elia really doesn't know what to think. When getting to know the other woman turns Elia's life upside-down in the best way possible, she finds that she doesn't really mind. </p>
<p>Elia and Lyanna at the beginning, and how they rebuilt a life with each other. </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Takes place several decades before APWH, but can be read as a separate story.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elia Martell/Lyanna Stark, Past Elia Martell/Rhaegar Targaryen - Relationship, past Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Past Worth Having [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1811062</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>189</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Other Woman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the woman who had precipitated the dissolution of her marriage contacted Elia Martell, to ask if they could meet, she was surprised, to say the least.</p>
<p>Logically, she knew it wasn’t this woman’s <em>fault </em>per se- this wasn’t the first affair Rhaegar had had, but it coming at the heels of Aegon’s birth had stung more than she wanted to admit. She had been prepared to be cordial- to be superior- to come off as the bigger man in the interaction, and then everything fell apart when she actually met Lyanna Snow.</p>
<p>Elia had been expecting a smooth-talking charismatic type- the woman was a reporter, after all, and that profession tended to attract a certain type of sleaze, in her experience. She’d expected someone put together, someone demanding, and perfectly coiffed; a small part of her had even expected Lyanna to throw it in Elia’s face that Rhaegar had preferred her.</p>
<p>And then Lyanna Snow had rushed into the coffee shop, six minutes late and apologizing so madly that Elia was startled into silence for a second, sunglasses perched precariously on hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in several days. She’d been wearing an oversized flannel shirt and leggings, and there were enormous bags under her eyes as she apologized again for being late and offered to buy Elia coffee as she looked vaguely on the verge of tears.</p>
<p>Elia, surprised and vaguely alarmed at her distress had been taken aback enough to respond without the ice she had planned.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it-“ she told the woman, gesturing to her cup, “I- er- already got mine. It’s fine- I still only have an hour, though.” She made sure to add. Stressed or not, she wasn’t about to compromise on her time.</p>
<p>“Sorry- thank you.” Lyanna Snow had exhaled in agitated relief. “I- um- I guess I’ll grab something quickly.”</p>
<p>Elia watched her order a cup of decaf black coffee and a pit began forming in her stomach. The other woman was conversing with the barista, smiling at her, and folded a couple of bills into the tip jar, but all Elia could see were the oversized clothes she wore. She realized that, for all that her hair looked like it hadn’t been washed, it was thick and full, and her gait was just slightly wider than normal.</p>
<p>Lyanna came back, coffee in hand, and sat down across from Elia, biting her lip slightly and tapping her fingers on the sides of the cup in what must have been a nervous gesture.</p>
<p>“Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.” She finally said, meeting Elia’s eyes. “I wanted-“</p>
<p>“To tell me that you were pregnant?” Elia interrupted, raising an eyebrow. To her credit, Lyanna didn’t flinch, just sighed, as Elia continued. “You’re wearing loose clothing and drinking decaf- I’ve known a few reporters in my time and none of them would touch the stuff unless absolutely necessary.”</p>
<p>“You’re pretty observant.” Lyanna answered, quietly, and Elia felt a vague sense of guilt as she took in the deep bags under the other woman’s eyes. “Yeah-“ she sighed, “I did want to talk about that at some point, but I wanted to- well- ah fuck.” She groaned, letting her head fall into her hands. “I had a whole thing written and prepared damnit- I was going to be fucking <em>sensitive </em>and considerate and not fuck it all up like I’m doing-“ she broke off, muttering obscenities under her breath as she made a few aborted gestures with her hands.</p>
<p>Honestly, it was almost charming how upset she looked. The nasty part of Elia felt some sort of vindication at the sight, but she wasn’t nearly as… as <em>angry </em>as she’d expected to be with this other woman.</p>
<p>“A whole thing?” Elia asked, letting a hint of warmth enter her voice. She could hear Oberyn now telling her that she was already letting her guard down- that she was already being too nice, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. It was probably a mistake to lower her hackles, but it had just been <em>exhausting </em>to keep those walls up with everything happening lately.</p>
<p>“I wanted to apologize to you.” Lyanna said in a rush, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “I just- I <em>never </em>would have gotten involved with a married man, but I didn’t realize, and we were both up in the middle of nowhere- shit, it sounds like I’m making excuses now!” she clapped her hands over her mouth, and the corner of Elia’s mouth twitched. Lyanna sighed, letting her shoulders slump. “Look, there’s no excuse for what I did- knowingly or unknowingly, and if there is <em>anything </em>that I can do to make it up to you-“</p>
<p>“Are you sure you want to bear the brunt of that blame yourself?” Elia asked, before she could stop herself. Elia was a lawyer- she knew plenty of people who lied as easily as breathing, and she knew exactly how to tell a liar- living with Rhaegar had honed that ability to a finely tuned instrument. There just wasn’t an ounce of deception in any of Lyanna’s words, and that seemed to be breaking down the walls she had built before this meeting, much as Elia tried to distance herself.</p>
<p>“Well what am I supposed to do besides take responsibility?” Lyanna asked, her voice weary as she clutched her mug like a lifeline. “I mean, it seems pretty clear to me at this point that Rhaegar isn’t going to do it, and you deserve an apology from one of us at the <em>very </em>least- I mean- ah shit, that was presumptuous wasn’t it?”</p>
<p>“On the contrary-“ Elia murmured, sitting back and taking in this girl with new eyes, “I think it’s a fairly accurate read on the man who is not going to be my husband for much longer.”</p>
<p>Lyanna seemed to relax just a bit at that, and they left the shop that day with an uneasy truce, and a tentative promise to meet up again soon. Elia found she wasn’t quite as resentful about it as she had expected to be, but reminded herself sternly to keep a clear head- not to let her bleeding heart get the best of her.</p>
<p>Still- Lyanna’s child would be a sibling to Rhae and Egg- and family was important to Elia- she knew that even hotheaded and furious Oberyn, who had four children by four different mothers, would understand wanting to be on speaking terms with the child’s mother.</p>
<p>Speaking terms. Elia could do speaking terms.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“I met her today.” Elia sighed, massaging her forehead as she walked down the stairs from putting Rhae to bed, phone propped up to her ear by her shoulder as she carted their laundry downstairs. There was a lot less to deal with now that Rhaegar had moved out- all of his shirts had been strange, fancy materials that you either had to dry clean or hand wash, and Elia was going to buy nothing but cotton and polyester for the rest of her life because of him, fashion be damned.</p>
<p>“What did you think?” Doran’s voice was composed- much calmer than Oberyn, who had nearly lost his temper when Elia told him she was meeting with Lyanna Snow last week. It had precipitated a shouting match that their eldest brother had had to break up, and some incredibly specific threats towards Rhaegar by her younger brother.</p>
<p>“She apologized to me.” Elia hummed, unceremoniously dropping the basket by their laundry room as she made her way into the kitchen, intent on the leftover garlic hummus she’d bought earlier that week. “She’s angry that Rhaegar lied to her, but she didn’t really seem to want to deflect blame there-“ she paused, taking a bottle of white wine out of her fridge, “She surprised me.”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s better than any of us were expecting.” Doran sighed. “Did you get a chance to say your piece?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t really have to.” Elia muttered, still a bit confused by how the day had gone. “She didn’t want anything from me- didn’t try to deflect any of the blame, and took full responsibility when she apologized, even though she wasn’t the only one involved in that affair.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps she just needed to get it out of her system.” Doran suggested, sounding hopeful. She knew he and Oberyn both hated Rhaegar for the way he had treated her- both had been surprised when she had decided to stay with Rhaegar after his last affair. Doran was better at respecting those boundaries- and her decisions- than Oberyn tended to be, but Elia knew he had been thrilled when she finally began divorce proceedings. “An absolution of guilt.”</p>
<p>“Yes, but that- that’s not quite it, Doran.” Elia winced, propping her elbow on the marble countertop. Fucking marble- that was Rhaegar’s pretentious taste for you.</p>
<p>Elia heard her brother inhale sharply on the other end and sagged in relief. It was just so <em>easy</em> sometimes to talk to Doran about these things- you gave him an inch, and he could extrapolate a mile from the situation.</p>
<p>“Has she told Rhaegar that she’s pregnant yet?” Doran asked, quietly.</p>
<p>“She said that she thought I deserved to know first.” Elia sighed. “She doesn’t have any delusions about Rhaegar or what he is, Dor. She implied that she’s planning to raise the child on her own.”</p>
<p>“And that hit a chord for you.” Doran murmured, not unkindly.</p>
<p>“Well, yeah!” Elia muttered, taking a sip of her wine. “I mean- Rhaegar was so absent after Rhae’s birth that it was basically like being a single parent, and it was fucking <em>awful</em>, Doran.”</p>
<p>“It’s hard to empathize with someone you want to hate.” Her brother clucked, sympathetically.</p>
<p>“I’m meeting her again soon.” Elia quietly admitted. “I just- I want Rhae and Egg to know their sibling, at the very least.”</p>
<p>“Just do me a favor, alright?” Doran sighed. “Be careful, Ellie. Make sure she isn’t trying to extort anything from you. Keep your head.”</p>
<p>“I’m not Oberyn.” Elia snorted, somewhat unkindly. She still wasn’t thrilled with her little brother, after all. She softened her tone at the obvious concern in Doran’s voice, though. “I’ll be careful- I promise.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Elia had wondered, after their first meeting, how a woman as direct and open and no-nonsense as Lyanna Snow had seemed to be susceptible to the particular type of charm Rhaegar wielded. She had worried for days that it was all an act- that maybe her instinct had failed her, and that Lyanna Snow was a lot less apologetic and a lot more conniving than she had suspected. But after a few more meetings, she’s forced to completely reevaluate her fears- Lyanna is far more complicated than Elia had given her credit for.</p>
<p>For one thing, her susceptibility to Rhaegar’s charm seemed to stem from a soft, kind heart under her unpolished appearance and blunt nature, and a great deal of childhood abandonment issues, Elia learns, after a few more coffee dates. Lyanna is honest about anything Elia asks her for, and Elia can’t even imagine airing vulnerabilities like Lyanna is willing to share with a near stranger- with a woman who has every reason to hate her. Apparently, Lyanna’s a bit of a realistic optimist. It’s oddly charming.</p>
<p>“I should have known better.” Lyanna shook her head, pursing her lips as she fiddled with her hands. She never wore rings or bracelets, Elia had noticed. “Romantic poetry and bullshit declarations don’t mean jack shit when someone isn’t honest with you-“</p>
<p>“But you’d never heard anyone speak like that before, and for someone to sound that sincere, you thought it had to be real.” Elia sighs, remembering the earlier days of her courtship with Rhaegar. He had been a perfect gentleman- too perfect, now that she looked back on it.</p>
<p>Lyanna gaped at her, taken aback. Elia had to stop her lips from quirking upwards- when her guard was down, <em>every </em>emotion seemed to read on this woman’s face. She had a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her sloping nose, Elia noticed.</p>
<p>“Uh- yeah.” She finally managed to say, looking down at the table between them. “I guess he’s something of a one-trick pony, then?”</p>
<p>“You could say that.” Elia snorted, letting her smile show so that Lyanna would know she wasn’t intending to belittle her. “I did want to ask you something though-“</p>
<p>“Anything.” Lyanna responded, instantly, looking eager to absolve herself of a guilt that Elia increasingly wasn’t sure the other woman really deserved.</p>
<p>“Well with this- the media storm, the pregnancy- how is your family handling everything?”</p>
<p>Lyanna looked down, giving Elia a bittersweet smile and biting her lip. Her gray-blue eyes looked wide and vulnerable, and even in ripped jeans and a t-shirt, there was something beautiful and ethereal about her.</p>
<p>She was starting to understand why Rhaegar had fallen for the woman, and it was a disconcerting sensation.</p>
<p>“That’s one area I don’t really have to worry about-“ she told her, hands wrapped around the mango smoothie Elia had recommended she try, “I was a foster kid until I aged out of the system- I never knew my dad, and my mom had some- ah- issues.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry-“ Elia backpedals, feeling foolish, “I didn’t mean to pry-“</p>
<p>Lyanna had just given her a wry grin though.</p>
<p>“I think that if anyone gets license to pry into my life at this point, it’s you.” She told her. “I mean- I hope- ah, fuck.” She broke off, face red. “I mean, I know we’ve talked about wanting this kid to know it’s siblings, but I was kind of hoping that we could be friends- or at least friendly!” she backpedaled quickly, waving her hands and looking vaguely panicked. “I’m not trying to be assumptive-“</p>
<p>But Elia was laughing, genuinely, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. It had been a while since she’d laughed like this.</p>
<p>“I think we’re getting there.” She managed to say once she caught her breath. “You know, you’re not the first affair Rhaegar ever had-“ Lyanna looks abashed, but doesn’t try to diminish it- that’s one of the things that Elia likes the most about this woman- that she doesn’t try to deflect responsibility, “-but you are the first woman with the guts to apologize for it- and I <em>know- </em>really, I do-that you didn’t actually know that Rhaegar was married.”</p>
<p>“I should have.” Lyanna snorted, a bitter expression crinkling her nose. Her face softened. “But- for what it’s worth, I am glad you gave me a chance.”</p>
<p>“You know, I’m still working on being okay with the situation,” Elia admitted, “But I think I might be glad too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Elia learns a lot about Lyanna Snow over the course of the next few months- That she grew up in the far North in a community that had been hit hard by addiction and poverty, that she had scrimped and saved until she had enough money to put herself through community college before transferring to White Harbor. That she’d had a job with a small, local paper until she’d scored an internship in King’s Landing.</p>
<p>That she got her start as a reporter as a member of the royal press pool when she caught the king’s eye, and had left as soon as she could.</p>
<p>“He’s such a fucking womanizer.” Lyanna snorted, practically inhaling the soup the waiter had recommended. “But I was an intern- a nobody with no connections- and when my boss shoved me out the door and told me that I’d been granted access to the royal press pool because Robert Baratheon can’t keep his eyes in one place, I mean, I couldn’t say no to that.”</p>
<p>Elia frowned.</p>
<p>“He didn’t-“</p>
<p>“No- I rejected him about eight million times though.” Lyanna snorted. “I only stayed long enough to make a few connections that let me work my way up as a member of the investigative team- I mean, I was <em>nineteen</em>, and I didn’t want to have that reputation in my industry-“ she sighed, looking down at her spoon, “Fat lot of good that’s done me now.” She muttered.</p>
<p>Elia winced. The media had been vicious- Rhaegar was a relatively public figure, with his heritage and business, and Aerys Targaryen’s insanity had painted a target on his children’s backs long ago in the press. Elia was from a wealthy and relatively powerful family, and had been painted as a martyr in the whole chronicle, but Lyanna Snow’s name had been mercilessly dragged through the mud as the catalyst for the breakup of their marriage. It was problematic for a number of reasons- Rhaegar had cheated on her previously, for one- and while he was only four years older than Elia, he was seven years Lyanna Snow’s senior- the difference was enough to turn her stomach a bit if she thought about it. For a twenty-five year old, though, Lyanna had handled the situation with a maturity and grit and honesty that had even grudgingly brought Oberyn to admit that she wasn’t awful.</p>
<p>The big thing that had finally made Elia let down her guard though, was that Lyanna had never asked her for anything. Not to ease up the press, not for monetary support (Even though Elia knew she barely made enough money to cover her tiny apartment and medical bills), and not even for forgiveness. She’d apologized, but never seemed to take it for granted that Elia wanted to spend time with her.</p>
<p>Part of Elia wished she would. Wished that she would accept help- would stop taking every burden in the world on her shoulders, because the more she got to know Lyanna, the more Elia liked her. She was ambitious and resilient as hell, and brutally honest, and she’d become a friend to Elia far more quickly than either of them had expected.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hello?”</p>
<p>“He wants to name the kid <em>Jaeherys </em>if it’s a boy.” Lyanna’s exasperated voice comes through the phone, and Elia has to bite back a grin. “I mean- fucking <em>Jaehaerys</em>?”</p>
<p>“My daughter is named Rhaenys.” Elia pointed out, unable to keep her amusement out of her voice.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but Rhaenys and Aegon are both cute names.” Lyanna told her, sounding like she was rushing somewhere. “Jaeherys is just going to get the <em>shit </em>beat out of the kid on the playground. Like, does he have fucking <em>worms </em>in his brain or something?”</p>
<p>“Or something.” Elia snorted. She knew that irritated tone- those were pregnancy hormones if she had ever heard them, and she smirked at the thought of the tirade that she was sure Lyanna had unleashed on Rhaegar. “You told him, then?” They had agreed it would be better to tell Rhaegar before anyone else heard about it-</p>
<p>“Yeah.” She heard Lyanna sigh. “Met him for coffee at some pretentious place down near the old Red Keep- he was pretty excited about it.”</p>
<p>“He always did enjoy being a father.” Elia hummed. It was true- Rhaegar wasn’t a bad father by any means- just an often absent one. He loved their children dearly- and liked to speak with a sort of grandiose fervor about what Rhaenys and Aegon would do when they were older. If anything, it was his aspirations for them that worried her more than anything else- she worried that those expectations would grate on the two when they got older.</p>
<p>“A sperm donation doesn’t make him a father.” Lyanna gritted out, and Elia remembered the way Lyanna’s tone had darkened the few times she’d mentioned her own, absent, father. Lyanna was a good reporter, Elia knew- Doran had pulled all of her stories for Elia to look over- and the woman had a talent for investigative journalism.</p>
<p>Elia was pretty sure that Lyanna had tracked down her father at some point or another- the woman was persistent as hell- and she could guess that the meeting hadn’t been all sunshine and roses. She knew that Lyanna would tell her the truth if she asked, though, so she hadn’t asked.</p>
<p>“Do me a favor and don’t make me the one who has to persuade you to give my ex-husband a chance.” Elia snorted, keeping her tone light to try and distract Lyanna.</p>
<p>“Ugh, you’re right.” Lyanna muttered. “Sorry- I’m just- I don’t know how to handle him. I won’t talk about it if you don’t want, though.”</p>
<p>“It’s alright.” Elia murmured, finding, to her surprise, that it was. “We all need somebody to vent to sometimes. I might not always be able to listen, but I’ll tell you if I can.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Lyanna murmured, something strange and vulnerable in her voice thattugged at Elia’s heartstrings. “You know- that goes for you too, you know?” she rushed, so quickly that Elia could barely keep up. “I mean- if you ever wanna talk about something or you get stressed- I’m not saying you <em>have</em> to- I mean, I’m not trying to presume-“</p>
<p>“I’ll keep that in mind.” Elia interrupts Lyanna’s spiel with a soft smile that carries easily into her tone.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Two weeks later, when Rhaegar asks for equally shared custody of their kids- which he is damn well <em>not </em>getting, because Elia is <em>not </em>leaving her kids at the mercy of Rhaegar’s workaholic tendancies- she surprises even herself when she calls Lyanna in a fury to vent about it.</p>
<p>“He probably doesn’t even want this!” Elia gritted, stomping around the house. Rhae and Egg, fortunately, were with Doran and Mellario for the afternoon, so Elia could stomp as much as she damn well pleased. “He doesn’t have <em>any </em>idea what the minutia of raising <em>toddlers </em>is like, and I’ll take the kids to see Rhaella and his siblings as much as they want, but I am <em>not </em>letting them near his bastard of a father!”</p>
<p>“I hope Rhaella divorces his scrawny ass soon.” Lyanna responds, sounding half-amused, half-darkly serious. “She deserves better. Rhaegar’s a dick for asking that of you, though- want me to go dig something up on him for the press?”</p>
<p>“I have plenty of that, believe me.” Elia mumbled, pressing her fingers to her forehead. “I just- I don’t know <em>why </em>he’s doing this.”</p>
<p>“It could be pressure from his father.” Lyanna suggested. “I mean, he seemed pretty content before with weekend and occasional visitation.”</p>
<p>“He likes the fun parts of being a father.” Elia grumbled. “But he’s ambitious- his career and his aspirations- the aspirations he has for the kids, even now- always trump anything else. It’s like he’s obsessed with this idea that it’s his ‘destiny’ or something to repair the family’s reputation in the aftermath of his father’s behavior.”</p>
<p>“Now that’s some serious psychoanalysis.” She heard Lyanna smirk from the other line. “But seriously, Elia-“ her tone was serious again, “-it might be better to disregard his motives for now, and just ask yourself if it’s really possible for him to be awarded that level of custody.”</p>
<p>Elia sighed, but Lyanna didn’t let up.</p>
<p>“It’s more complicated than that.”</p>
<p>“You’re running mental circles around yourself here.” Lyanna pointed out, bluntly. “Now of you and Rhaegar, last time I checked, <em>you </em>were the one with a law degree.”</p>
<p>“I do repatriation and handle legal matters for <em>art </em>museums, Lyanna.” Elia sighed, frustration building. “Custody is a bit out of my sphere of knowledge.”</p>
<p>“Custody of a painting, custody of a child, different rules, same end goal.” Lyanna argued. “Look-“ her voice softened, “I know it’s not that easy- I <em>know </em>that- but I also know that you’re going to make yourself crazy thinking through every possibility here. Sometimes, you just have to <em>do </em>something, instead of overthinking it.”</p>
<p>“Is that what happened when you slept with Rhaegar up in the middle of nowhere in the North?” Elia snapped, losing her temper. “You weren’t thinking?”</p>
<p>Lyanna is silent from the other end of the line, and Elia immediately regrets her outburst.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry- I didn’t mean that.” Elia sighed, feeling a migraine coming on.</p>
<p>“I guess I kinda walked into that one.” Lyanna muttered.</p>
<p>“Lyanna- I didn’t mean-“</p>
<p>“Look, I’ve got to get back to work in a few minutes.” Lyanna told her, voice dull. “But just- just keep that in mind, okay? You’re a lawyer and Rhaegar isn’t. You’re smart, and wealthy, and your family will stand behind you, and that gives you an edge over Rhaegar in court, especially given the circumstances under which his father left the company.”</p>
<p>“Lyanna, I’m sorry-“ Elia tried again, desperately.</p>
<p>“I have to go.” Lyanna cut her off. “Good luck, Elia.”</p>
<p>She hangs up, and Elia stares at her phone for twenty minutes afterwards, trying to figure out what the empty feeling swirling in the pit of her stomach means.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Not even three days later, after about twenty unanswered texts, Elia finds herself playing dirty- ringing Lyanna’s doorbell with takeout from a restaurant that the other woman had confessed to craving last week when they had eaten there.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry.” Elia rushed, when a taken aback Lyanna answered the door. She held the takeout out in front of her. “I- I was upset, and I took it out on you, and It wasn’t fair.”</p>
<p>Lyanna is quiet for a moment, but eventually stands to the side, and Elia gratefully follows her into the tiny apartment with its mismatched furniture. She silently directs Elia to the table, while she turns to find something in the cupboard. There are plants <em>everywhere</em>, and they make the apartment seem larger than it actually is, clustered around windows and hanging from the ceiling. There are little trays of what look like succulent leaves sitting on the windowsills, and Elia has no idea what they might be for.</p>
<p>“Did you mean it?” Lyanna asked, quietly, her back still to Elia as she rummaged around, pulling out plates. “What you said?”</p>
<p>“No.” Elia tells her, honestly. “I- I didn’t mean any of it. I was angry at Rhaegar, and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. It wasn’t fair.”</p>
<p>“You know,” Lyanna muttered, turning to hand Elia several pieces of silverware, still not meeting her eyes, “You’re justified in thinking that.”</p>
<p>“No, I’m not.” Elia argued.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you are.” Lyanna gave a dry laugh, sitting slowly, her ever-growing stomach making her wince. “Look, maybe I wasn’t thinking as clearly as I should have been. I should have thought first- I <em>always</em> seem to jump into shit without thinking, and I <em>did </em>sleep with a married man. Just because I didn’t know doesn’t make me every inch the homewrecker the press seems to think I am.” She sighed, something seeming to deflate, and Elia felt like someone had jammed a dagger into her gut. “I messed up- I know that.”</p>
<p>“That’s bullshit.” Elia growled, almost laughing at the half-confused, half-annoyed look that Lyanna shoots her in between shoveling noodles into a bowl. “Look- It <em>wasn’t </em>fair that I said any of that to you- you <em>didn’t </em>deserve it, and I hate that you’re sitting here trying to justify the fact that I <em>hurt </em>you!”</p>
<p>“I ruined your marriage-“</p>
<p>“<em>Rhaegar</em> ruined my marriage!” Elia exclaimed, throwing her arms up in exasperation. “<em>Rhaegar</em> was the one who consciously made the decision to cheat on me, not just with you, but with three <em>other </em>women before you!” she buried her face in her hands. “If anything, I should blame myself.” She muttered. “I could have divorced him already- <em>should </em>have the first time, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to make the decision.” she repeated, quietly. “That’s not anybody’s fault but mine.”</p>
<p>“Elia-“ Lyanna began, sounding vaguely awkward as she reached out a hand to place it over Elia’s at the table. Her hands were warm and vaguely callused, traces of what Elia suspected was potting soil under her nails.</p>
<p>“I didn’t come here so you could comfort me over my failed marriage.” Elia murmured, looking down, shame heavy in her stomach. “I came here to apologize to you, because if anyone’s gotten the short end of the stick here, it’s you.”</p>
<p>“He’s at least given up on ‘Jaehaerys’.” Lyanna shrugged, giving a wan smile.</p>
<p>“Thank god.” Elia muttered.</p>
<p>They were silent for a few moments, eating and occasionally glancing at one another.</p>
<p>Lyanna looked up, opened her mouth, and closed it, repeating the action twice before she managed to say something.</p>
<p>“You know, I thought you were going to scream and rage at me the first time we met.” She told Elia, who blinked at the blunt admission. “I expected it, actually.” She looked down. Elia didn’t interrupt her- this felt like something fragile- something delicate. “But then you didn’t. You just- you just let me talk, and you were so gracious and put-together, and- and I wanted to be able to be that calm and composed about the whole thing.” She admitted, sounding almost sheepish. “I was jealous of how well you seemed to be taking everything- and then I got to know you more- you <em>let </em>me know you more- and I wanted to be your friend.” She sniffled, and Elia watched in horror as tears began to make their way out of her eyes. “I just- I thought that if someone as good as <em>you</em> could forgive me for what I had done, then maybe I would be able to forgive myself for it.”</p>
<p>“Lyanna,” Elia murmured, gently, taking the woman’s hands and turning them, holding them both in her own, “I- I can’t blame you for what happened. After I met you, I think all of the anger I was holding- I think I started to realize that it was all at me, not you. You bear <em>no </em>blame for anything here, and I should never have implied that you did.”</p>
<p>“Then why did you?” Lyanna whispered, eyes rimmed with red.</p>
<p>“Because I am not as good of a person as you or the world, or even <em>I </em>want me to be, sometimes.” Elia sighed, looking down. “Because I can be incredibly nasty and vindictive when I don’t want to admit that I’ve made my own problems, and I’m not always good at letting people give me advice- I have too much pride- you can ask my younger brother.”</p>
<p>She suspected that Oberyn and Lyanna would get along terrifyingly well, given the opportunity.</p>
<p>“You can’t- you can’t do that again.” Lyanna said, haltingly. “Take out your anger on me like that.”</p>
<p>“I know.” Elia murmured, still clutching Lyanna’s hands.</p>
<p>“I gave you the chance to do that.” Lyanna told her, voice a little stronger. “But you- you can’t be my friend <em>and </em>hold that over my head forever- that’s- that’s not going to work.”</p>
<p>“You’re right.” Elia responded, simply.</p>
<p>Lyanna gave a small, watery, smile, only tugging her hands away to scrub at the tears on her face. “Stupid pregnancy hormones- how the fuck did you do this twice?”</p>
<p>Elia laughed a bit, tears in her own eyes and a slight flush on her cheeks as she watched Lyanna bite her lower lip.</p>
<p>“The end result is worth it.” She promised.</p>
<p>They were quiet for another minute, and Elia was glad she had brought extra portions- she hadn’t realized how hungry she was. Guilt seemed to have dulled her appetite, lately.</p>
<p>“I still- I still want to be your friend.”  Lyanna admitted, after a moment. “I mean, I like you, Elia.”</p>
<p>“Then we do that.” Elia muttered, squeezing her hands. “But we start with a clean slate. No expectation of blame on your end, and no expectation of absolution from me.”</p>
<p>“I think I like the less-than-perfect Elia Martell better, anyways.” Lyanna admitted, a shy smile on her face. Elia could have counted the freckles that kissed her pale skin.</p>
<p>“All grievances aired, and total honesty from this point on.” Elia murmured. “I- I don’t want to lose you either. I think you’re probably- no, definitely- the best thing that came from this whole situation.”</p>
<p>“You’re not half-bad yourself.” Lyanna smirked, sniffling a little bit. “Clean slate?”</p>
<p>“Clean slate.” Elia agreed, walking over to embrace the other woman, inhaling deeply at Lyanna’s warm amber scent. Lyanna’s hands came up to clutch at her back, and they stood like that for several long moments, silently taking comfort in one another.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Starting over is better than Elia could have imagined- it’s like a tension she hadn’t even known was there had vanished, leaving only Lyanna’s friendship and company- it was like throwing open dusty curtains to let the light in again. Elia hadn’t realized how isolated she’d become in King’s Landing living with Rhaegar and raising two kids essentially on her own until she had someone again to spend time with. Lyanna teased her- didn’t take her nearly as seriously as she took herself- and she felt lighter, having someone else around.</p>
<p>Just as she predicted, Oberyn and Lyanna had gotten along famously, bonding over insulting everything from Rhaegar's hair to his pretentious taste in coffee, and diving into an intense conversation about a recent WBI bust of Balon Greyjoy's embezzlement from his company that even Elia- with her law degree- could barely follow. The rest of Elia's family seemed wary, but as a whole, quickly warmed up to Lyanna once they got to know her. She’d even persuaded Elia to get in touch with Ashara again, too, after Lyanna had asked about the picture on her phone background.</p>
<p>“My best friend.” Elia had explained, wincing a bit. “Well- I hope she still is. I’ve been kind of awful about keeping in touch. It’s just- the situation is hard to explain to everyone.”</p>
<p>“She’s <em>gorgeous</em>.” Lyanna leered, waggling her eyebrows until Elia started laughing, clutching her stomach as they attracted a few looks from the other park-goers.</p>
<p>“You’re shameless.” Elia shook her head, still smiling.</p>
<p>“Hey, I go both ways.” Lyanna admitted, raising her hands in a non-apologetic shrug as she perched on the rim of the fountain they were both resting on. “And your friend is <em>very </em>pretty.”</p>
<p>Elia had to stop before her jaw dropped open at the easy way Lyanna admitted it, but managed to fumble to pick up the conversation.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately for you, Ashara is happily married.” Elia managed to stutter, still trying to process this new and <em>very </em>interesting information. “He’s a bit rough around the edges, but Brandon’s smoothed out a lot since college. Still refuses to shave that beard of his.”</p>
<p>Lyanna made a face that made Elia snicker.</p>
<p>“I just- you grow up in the North and every asshole you see has this scraggly beard that he never trims.” She shook her head. “Not really my thing, thanks.” She peered over Elia’s shoulder again at her screen. “You should call her if you miss her.”</p>
<p>“But I’ve spent so long <em>not </em>communicating- what makes you think she’s going to want to  talk to me?” Elia bemoaned, letting her arms slump. It was <em>so</em> nice to just be able to spend time with someone and not be worried about her every word and action and how it reflected on them- Lyanna seemed to derive a sort of unholy glee from seeing her a bit undone, anyways.</p>
<p>“I think you might be overthinking it a bit.” Lyanna poked her side, grinning. “She’s your friend, right?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Then she’ll be glad to hear from you.” Lyanna shrugged. “Life happens, shit happens, people get busy. But you’ll never get the chance to talk to her again unless you take the plunge.”</p>
<p>“You just have to be right, don’t you?” Elia turns back towards her, smiling impishly, only to almost fall off the fountain when she realizes how close Lyanna’s face is to hers. She could reach out and count every individual freckle- each of Lyanna’s dark eyelashes. She’s gaping, slightly, and Lyanna frowns.</p>
<p>“Everything okay, El?”</p>
<p>“Oh- yeah!” Elia quickly answers, shaking herself. “Just fine- sorry, Lya.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d been talking every day by this point, but it was the first time Elia had seen Lyanna genuinely nervous since their first meeting.</p>
<p>“We’ve been talking about this for a while, Lya.” She chuckled, taking in her friend’s nervous face. “I’ve told Rhaenys that she’s getting a new baby sibling this year, and Aegon’s still too young to really understand, but they both know about you-“</p>
<p>“Yeah but what if I’m awful with kids?” Lyanna muttered, her face white. “I mean, they’re junior’s brother and sister and they’re your kids- oh god- I don’t know what to do with any of this- Junior doesn’t even have a <em>name </em>yet- how am I supposed to answer that question?”</p>
<p>“<em>Relax</em>.” Elia insists, taking Lyanna’s hand and squeezing it comfortingly. She can feel the smile playing around her lips. “I told you, Rhae is <em>really </em>excited to meet you, and I know enough about pregnancies to help you answer all of what I’m almost certain are going to be a <em>lot </em>of questions.” She smirked. “I think Rhae learned to talk and never stopped asking questions- it’s probably her favorite thing, and I know she’s really excited to show you her new book about salamanders and the stuffed one that my brother sent her last week.”</p>
<p>“Right.” Lyanna nodded, still looking shell-shocked. “Questions. Salamanders. I can do this.”</p>
<p>“Come on,” Elia coaxed, “I’ve seen footage of you pressing the King’s press secretary for answers about corruption charges from his officials- you were fearless!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well meeting Rhaenys and Aegon is a hell of a lot more important than that.” Lyanna muttered, still clutching Elia’s hand like a lifeline as they moved to open the door. Her words sent something warm and soft through Elia’s stomach, and she felt herself smiling, pressing a hand to Lyanna’s lower back to help her up the steps. Maybe it was just an excuse to touch her. Elia wasn’t really sure where the line was anymore.</p>
<p>“I believe in you.” She murmured, leaning in close to Lyanna’s ear, watching with some satisfaction when the woman shivered, looking back at her with her big, gray eyes. “You’ll be fine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Elia had known she was bi for a long time; really, since she had kissed Larra Blackmont behind one of the the pool houses at the Water Gardens and giggled about it all night, but it had never really hit her just how <em>beautiful </em>Lyanna Snow was, until she came to Elia’s house for the first time to meet Rhaenys and Aegon. She had knelt down- a difficult feat while six-and-a-half months pregnant- to shake Rhae’s tiny hand and had looked nervous even as Rhaenys had grinned widely and dragged her towards her new stuffed animals, and she had held Aegon later like he was made of glass.</p>
<p>Later, after the kids had gone to bed, the two had sat on the deck out back, looking over the light of the harbor, and the moonlight had fallen on Lyanna’s face as she gave Elia a tired smile, and Elia’s heart just fucking <em>stopped. </em></p>
<p>“You’ll do well with motherhood.” Elia told her, still trying to process the realization that she was rapidly coming to. “You did fine with Rhae, Lya- she’ll be talking about you all week.”</p>
<p>“I never had a very good example of it-“ Lyanna admitted, “I’ve been doing a shit ton of reading though.”</p>
<p>“Well you did just fine tonight.” Elia reassured, taking Lyanna’s hand without thinking about it. It was a gesture she’d performed a million times before- Elia had always been a fairly tactile person, but it felt different tonight, watching the harbor lights reflect in Lyanna’s large, gray eyes. Her hand was warm in Elia’s, and her eyes flicked down to Lyanna’s lips-</p>
<p>Elia blamed her next action on Oberyn’s influence.</p>
<p>She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Lyanna’s mouth before she could stop to think, cupping her face with her other hand. Lyanna gave a gentle gasp, and Elia quickly drew back, the ramifications of what she had done racing through her mind. Oh god- Lyanna probably wasn’t attracted to her at all, but what if she thought she had to reciprocate Elia’s advances to allow her child in their lives? Their relationship wasn’t always even, Elia knew- there was so much that she had that Lyanna didn’t, and she was older, and oh god, what if she had messed up-</p>
<p>But Lyanna didn’t look upset at all- on the contrary, she looked absolutely gobsmacked, a small grin curving up her lips as Elia’s face contorted in panic.</p>
<p>“Oh my god I am so sorry-“</p>
<p>“I hope you’re not.” Lyanna interrupted her, brushing her hand behind her ears shyly as she blushed. “I’ve-  I’ve kind of been wanting to do that for a while.”</p>
<p>“You- you have?” Elia asked, completely taken aback.</p>
<p>“The amount of grace and kindness you’re willing to show people is astounding.” Lyanna told her, refusing to let go of her hand as she smiled- beautiful and willful- at Elia. “You’re kind, and brilliant, and hilarious, and not at all perfect, and also very, very beautiful. Can you really blame me for wanting to kiss you?”</p>
<p>Elia can’t seem to form a coherent sentence- for all that her speech is usually casual, Lyanna has a way with words when she wants to- Elia’s read some of her articles, and she’s got a definite talent.</p>
<p>“I just- I didn’t want to take advantage.” Elia murmured, staring into Lya’s eyes, crinkled with her smile, freckles sprinkled over her skin.</p>
<p>“Maybe we can talk about boundaries and details later, but right now I’d really love it if you took advantage of me.” Lyanna told her, voice low as she leaned in again, to whisper directly in Elia’s ear.</p>
<p>Elia leans forward, and when she kisses Lyanna again, she can feel the smile on the other woman’s lips.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>When they tell Doran over dinner, he smiles in congratulation, embracing them both, and sends them one of the loveliest flower arrangments Elia’s ever seen.</p>
<p>Oberyn laughs himself <em>sick.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Lyanna is everything that Elia had never even known it was possible to have- she’d quickly filled a void in Elia’s life that she hadn’t even realized was there. Marriage to Rhaegar had been nice at first, but relatively empty. He’d known how to be passionate and romantic, but he hadn’t ever seemed to master real intimacy- the kind that came from letting someone in and letting them see every piece of you, good and bad.</p>
<p>Lyanna wasn’t guarded at all- she allowed Elia in as much as she wanted, and she was honest to a fault. She wasn’t perfect- Elia had gotten tired of what perfect was supposed to be a long time ago, in between Rhaegar’s sweet words and broken promises, and Lyanna had stopped looking for perfect in Elia. She was too giving sometimes, too reticent in expressing her own needs- too impulsive sometimes, but arguments were far easier to solve when you got to make out with someone at the end, and the more they talked out arguments, the easier it got to figure out how to communicate- the easier it got for both of them to express what they needed.</p>
<p>She was also an absolute nightmare in the mornings, and Elia laughed so hard she almost fell over one morning when Lyanna, her head firmly planted on the counter, hair spilling over the top, had merely grumbled an incoherent answer, not even bothering to lift her head, when Rhae tugged at her hand, asking if she would braid her hair.</p>
<p>Coming home to evenings spent sitting next to Lya, curled up on the couch and reading while Lya proofread her work and chewed on pens, absently rubbing Elia’s feet in her lap was a revelation- it was almost embarrassing how much domesticity she’d been missing with Rhaegar. Tonight, though, her girlfriend was still at her office, and Elia was exhausted.</p>
<p>“Hey Lya.” She greeted, answering the phone as she made her way downstairs, drained from her day.</p>
<p>“Hey babe.” Lya’s tired voice came over the line. She was still working relatively long hours this week to cover a story, even as her due date approached, and Elia would be lying if she said it didn’t occasionally remind her of all the time Rhaegar had used work as an excuse to be away from home. “How was your day? Rhae feeling any better?”</p>
<p>“I got her to bed a little while ago.” Elia murmured. “She’ll be fine- just a bit of a cold.” Something vulnerable must have been in her voice though, because Lyanna asked if she was alright.</p>
<p>“I’m fine, sweetheart.” Elia told her, “Don’t worry about me- I know you’re busy.” That was usually where her conversations with Rhaegar had ended, and apparently deadlines did the same thing to Lyanna.</p>
<p>Half an hour later, after they’d hung up, Elia had gone to sit in her living room alone with an untouched glass of wine, remembering all the nights she had waited up for Rhaegar like this. She certainly doesn't expect anyone to knock at her door.</p>
<p>“Lya?” she asked, surprised to see Lyanna at her doorstep. “I thought you had to work?”</p>
<p>“I told the old man that if he wanted this done, it was going to get done at home.” She shrugged, eyes sparkling, even with the shadows under them. “May have played the pregnant lady card.” She pressed a kiss to Elia’s cheek, walking in past her as she numbly shut the door. “How are you, really?”</p>
<p>“I’m- I’m fine-“ Elia sputtered.</p>
<p>“Rhae’s been sick for two days and you’ve been superwoman taking care of her.” Lyanna told her, shedding her coat and waddling in.  “I thought you sounded like you could use some company.”</p>
<p>“Lya, your work is- it’s important though-“</p>
<p>“Yeah, but you’re important to me too, and you sounded upset.” Lyanna insisted, walking over to the counter to set down her bags. “I got dessert from that place Oberyn told me you liked- the black forest cake?” she looked up. “Oh shit- did I upset you? I’m sorry-“</p>
<p>“I’m not upset.” Elia shook her head, through the tears that had started to run down her face. “You- you got me cake?”</p>
<p>“Black forest?” Lyanna grinned, waggling her fingers in a very poor imitation of jazz hands. Her smile faded as Elia didn’t move. “Was that not the right kind, El?”</p>
<p>“You-“ Elia couldn’t finish her sentence before she burst into tears, and the next thing she knew, she was being ushered over to the couch to sit next to a very frantic Lyanna, who seemed to think she’d done something wrong.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry- I’ll go if you don’t want company-“ Lyanna was babbling, rubbing her back. “I-“</p>
<p>Elia sniffled, looking up into her worried gray eyes, and pulled her girlfriend closer, cradling her face in both hands as she pressed a deep kiss to her mouth, savoring the smell and taste of her skin, the softness of her thick hair.</p>
<p>“Don’t you dare leave.” She panted, as they broke apart, Lyanna’s hair tangled in her fingers. “You- you came here just because I sounded upset and you brought me <em>cake?</em>”</p>
<p>“Oberyn texted me the name of the place last week and I haven’t had time to take you there yet.” Lyanna told her, sheepishly, biting her lip. It was all Elia could do not to kiss her again.  “I just- you sounded upset and I didn’t want you to be alone.”</p>
<p>“You-“ Elia just shook her head, unable to keep a grin off her face for much longer, “You are something else, Lya.”</p>
<p>“Is that a good thing?” Lyanna leered, jokingly.</p>
<p>“Why don’t you follow me upstairs, and I’ll show you exactly how <em>good</em> it is.”</p>
<p>“But El- there’s still cake down here.” Lyanna’s pout was near comical. “El?”</p>
<p>“The cake will keep.” Elia rolled her eyes, looping an arm around her very pregnant girlfriend’s waist and tugging her along, her happiness a warm, bubbly feeling- jubilation and joy and something else that she couldn't recognize- in her stomach as she held the other woman close.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know, If I knew that <em>that</em> was going to be your reaction to cake, I’d have brought it for you much sooner.” Lyanna joked, sweaty and sticky and panting as she lay next to Elia, facing her on the bed that had always felt too big before this. Before Lyanna had come in like a breath of fresh air and shown Elia how much more she deserved. It wasn’t the cake- it was Lyanna- all of her, good and bad, and everything Elia had ever wanted.</p>
<p>“Shut up,” Elia chuckled, pulling her in again, “And kiss me again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Elia sits next to Lyanna’s side during the birth, nearly has her hand crushed, and learns six new swear words in three languages during Lyanna’s seven-hour labor. Seeing Lyanna after the birth, though, sweat-stained brow and hair stuck to her forehead, Elia thinks she’s the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. Lya smiles up at her, with Jon in her arms, and Elia lets her girlfriend lean into her side, tucking her tired head into Elia’s shoulder as Elia reaches down to run a finger over Jon’s downy, dark hair.</p>
<p>When she watches Oberyn bring her children in the next day to meet their newest baby brother, Lyanna grins as Rhaenys practically <em>leaps </em>onto the hospital bed to pepper her with questions about Jon. Apparently, he’s a lot smaller and redder than Rhaenys expected, and he starts snuffling and making noises when she pokes at his little fingers.</p>
<p>“He’s noisy.” She says, wrinkling her nose.</p>
<p>“C’mere sweetie.” Lyanna nudges her, tucking Rhaenys into her side as she gently stops Rhae from poking her brother. “I know you’re really curious- I think I am too.” She tells the girl, flicking her nose gently as Rhae giggles. “Here- I know it’s super tempting to poke and prod at things when you’re curious, but you can learn a lot more by just looking sometimes. See how tiny his little hands are?”</p>
<p>“Was I little, Ama?” Rhae tilts her head, wrinkling her nose.</p>
<p>“You were, sweetling.” Elia chuckles, bouncing Aegon a bit. He’s still a little too young to really understand what’s going on, but seems to recognize that he’s got competition for Elia’s attention, and holds tight to her shirt. “Most babies are.”</p>
<p>“He’s beautiful, Lyanna.” Oberyn smiles, wrapping a hand around Elia’s shoulder.</p>
<p>Lyanna grins, looking up and grinning wildly at Oberyn.</p>
<p>“You owe me twenty bucks, buddy.” She leers, indicating the baby. “I <em>told </em>you it would be a boy!”</p>
<p>“You bribed the doctor to tell you that!”</p>
<p>“Dr. Lewis wouldn’t take a <em>dime</em> when <em>your sister </em>let our bet slip.” Lyanna sticks her tongue out at Oberyn, who throws his head back and laughs uproariously. “Said if he told me, he would also tell you. Pay up, pal.”</p>
<p>Looking at Lyanna as she bickers good-naturedly with Oberyn and ruffles a delighted Rhae’s hair, leaning forward to brush their noses together as they giggle, Jon smushed between them and snuffling in protest, Elia is hit with the realization that she <em>loves </em>this woman. She doesn’t just love her, but she <em>likes </em>her too- Lyanna is her closest friend, and slots right into Elia’s life like she’s always belonged there- she complements and broadens Elia’s world instead of eclipsing it.</p>
<p>Elia smiles at her girlfriend- <em>god</em>, she loves being able to say that- leaning forward to press a kiss to Lyanna’s forehead, and takes a moment to savor the soft smell of Lya’s skin, the sparkle in her eyes. When Lyanna smiles back at her, tired and proud and <em>warm</em>, Elia knows, instinctively, that this is going to last.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote the rough draft of this a while ago, but haven’t quite been happy with it until now. The first scene to this just kind of hit me like a train when I was doing dishes, and I literally dropped a pan in the sink to sit down and write it out. Honestly, it might be one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. I can’t think of anything better than gorgeous women talking about their feelings and moving on from being hurt by the same man to find comfort and solace and life in each other, and balance each other in a way that neither has really experienced before. </p>
<p>I just- I LOVE these two together, and I love how they balance each other, and add so much to the other’s life, and I love Elia- the consummate perfectionist who overthinks everything- learning to relax a bit when impulsive, lively, whip-smart, Lyanna whirls into her life. I hope I’ve done the build of their relationship justice here- they’re one of my favorite parts of ‘A Past Worth Having’. </p>
<p>(Lyanna’s plants here are a bit of a shout-out to the elaborate garden the two have at Winterfell in APWH- Lyanna always wanted a garden, and she gets Elia really into it as well. Also, just in case you’re curious, Elia’s undergrad degree is in Art History- she’s very into the arts in general, and she and Lya like to get dressed up to the nines and go to museum gallery openings together. Lyanna pretends there are tiny spectacles on the bottom of her nose, and pretends to sneer at the other patrons, calling them ‘plebians’, and critiquing the art in increasingly ridiculous terms. Elia once laughed so hard at this that they almost offended a major donor, but Elia can be a smooth talker when she wants to be, and persuades the man to bring even more of his collection next year. When he walks away, Lyanna tells her that he looks like mr. peanut in his suit, and she almost loses her shit again.)</p>
<p>Also, you know that Oberyn and Lyanna are gonna be the biggest bros ever. (he’s a bit more hot-headed here than in APWH- it’s about 25 years before the story starts, and he’s mellowed a lot with age). Oberyn is like ‘FINALLY an in-law that will have arm-wrestling contests and mock the targaryens with me’. They’re competitive as hell with each other, and Doran amuses himself by intermittently encouraging it and placing minor bets on them. They do a polar bear swim one time, and Lyanna lords her victory over Oberyn for *months*. You know that they went to a bar to bro around the minute Lyanna could drink again, and Lyanna probably egged Oberyn into breaking at least one thing. Elia loves them, and thinks that they’re both idiots. Rhae wants to be included in ALL of it (no wonder she follows in her uncle's footsteps later in life).</p>
<p>Anyways, thank you SO much for reading- I absolutely LOVED writing this story, and I’m sure this won’t be the only time I revisit Elia and Lya’s relationship in the APWH universe. Thanks so much for all of your kind words, your comments and kudos and bookmarks and subscriptions! I love getting to hear from all of you- feel free to come say hi to me on tumblr! I’m @mkstrigidae! Stay safe and healthy, and happy pride month, everyone!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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